Preservation Issues

We need your help to help save a historic property AND a historic neighborhood!

West Adams is on the verge of losing another historic house and a bungalow at 1828 South Gramercy Place in the Angelus Vista National Register eligible district. If we don’t act quickly, we will lose them, because a brand new owner has already applied for a demolition permit.

WAHA is working hard behind the scenes with City staff, but it has become clear that we need letters sent to Council President Herb Wesson, and his staff, asking the CD10 Council Office to step in.

There is an issue afoot in the West Adams community which appears to have at LEAST two sides to it with a proposed gas station and 7-Eleven at the corner of Normandie and West Adams Boulevard.

We are posting position papers so our community will be informed about the issues concerned.

WAHA is not endorsing a position at this time but is providing the statements below in an attempt to inform the community about the hearings and issues. Please attend this hearing if you would like to have your voice heard and you have an opinion on this issue.

Why designate a California Register Historic District if the City and a developer can ignore the designation and propose to virtually eliminate it?

The Spectrum Group, an Irvine-based developer, is proposing to build a 21-story hotel, a 9-story parking structure, two 7-story apartment complexes, and 20,000 square feet of office space on a 4.4 acre site that requires 8 of the historic buildings be demolished in the Flower Drive Historic District. The developer could actually achieve most of what they desire by simply rethinking the site plan and incorporating historic Flower Drive.

The Zoning Administrator has ruled AGAINST Freeport McMoRan Oil and Gas’s (FMOG’s) proposal to install a CEB 800 natural gas burning flare to burn 400,000 cubic feet of gas per day at the Murphy Drill Site at 2126 W Adams Blvd. FMOG has filed an appeal to try to overturn the decision.

Here are the basics of what you need to know, how to find out more, and what you can do, followed by a more detailed discussion of key elements of the case

Sometimes glorious historic jewels are wrapped in plain paper. Such is (was) the case with the former St. James Armenian Apostolic Church’s Sanctuary, located at 3200 West Adams Boulevard. Built in 1957, the unadorned and blocky modern exterior of the church – designed to evoke in its shapes centuries-old cathedrals in Armenia – hides from clear view what was a splendid historical interior space. The St. James Sanctuary featured extensive murals on the walls and dome, gold leaf enhancements, copper niches, wood trim, wainscoting, and a mezzanine loft.

A Preservation Perspective -

Highways or Communities: What is Our Future?

That’s what a Caltrans staffer told us when we questioned why the agency was even considering erecting a massive 54-foot-tall concrete structure (the I-110 HOV Flyover) that will tower over West Adams Boulevard landmarks like St. John’s and St. Vincent’s Cathedrals, and split yet another community in half.

WAHA is in the community-building business, and of course the historic preservation business, and that’s why we urge everyone to attend the hearing on Tuesday, February 23 (6-8 p.m.), at the Orthopedic Institute for Children, 403 West Adams Blvd.This is your chance to stand with stakeholders, Councilmember Curren Price, and Senator Feinstein’s field staff and give voice to your concerns.

Dear WAHA members,Above is the historic Victorian cottage that was demolished when the owners found out their permit was invalid and being revoked.

For all of the WAHA members who thought we would cheerily enjoy this holiday season without a lump of coal in our stockings, our season’s cheer has been interrupted by a senseless and fraudulent demolition.

It’s not every day you see a house heading down the street, but that happened twice in July just north of USC’s University Park Campus.

The rare double house move will help preserve a pair of turn-of-the-century homes in University Park.

In the wee hours starting at midnight on Wednesday, July 22, and Thursday, July 23, the university relocated two historic buildings from Royal Street to a vacant lot on Portland Street.

The project is a collaboration between USC, the University Park Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, WAHA, and Southland Development, a for-profit organization that works to provide quality community housing.